ROADTRIP NATION PRESENTS

State of Change Trailer(1:54)

State of Change

The state of Indiana is brimming with potential—and it’s poised to make a difference far beyond its borders.

Indiana residents Shannon, Dengke, and Jaedyn are all at different points in their pursuit of undergraduate degrees, but they share a curiosity for what’s to come next—both for their own futures, and for the future of their home state.

Traveling across Indiana to take a closer look at some of the state’s leading industries, they see that no matter what their fellow Hoosiers are using to innovate—be it seeds, software, or steel—they’re all working toward the same goal: finding new solutions for a changing world. As their eyes are opened to all of the possibilities Indiana has to offer, they realize that when you find the courage to accept change, you also gain the courage to grow.

If you’re a parent, teacher, or student looking for educational resources that will help you dive deeper into the topics and themes in this documentary, check out our viewing guide.

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INSIGHTS FROM THE FILM

“You just need to understand that you’re not always going to jump straight to the top; you’ve got to realize it takes hard work sometimes. It’s possible—you’ve just gotta look around.”

“Your potential is nearly unlimited if you’re willing to put yourself out there and do that scary thing. You might fail, you might get told ‘no,’ but at the end of life, you won’t regret the things you tried.”

Santiago Jaramillo, CEO & Co-Founder, Emplify

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Explore the advances being made in Indiana's most dynamic industries—and see what hard-working Hoosiers can accomplish&period;&NewLine;

This summer&comma; we’re sending three post-secondary students from Indiana on a life-changing road trip to see how Indiana-grown ingenuity is keeping their home state at the cutting edge of rapid technological change&period; They’re spending two weeks exploring some of the exciting industries powering Indiana’s growth—including healthcare services&comma; advanced manufacturing&comma; biosciences&comma; and technology—and connecting with the Hoosiers working at the forefront of these fields&period; Follow along with their journey&comma; and see how the state nicknamed the &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Crossroads of America” is driving the future forward for us all&period;&NewLine;

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Today is #WorldFoodDay! 🌍🌱 Shannon Newerth, a Purdue Plant Science student, spent 2 weeks meeting with leaders of Indiana’s industries. She explains how her @roadtripnation journey taught her new ways to make an impact on global food security....#PurdueAg #PurduePlantScience #PurdueUniversity #BoilerUp #RTNIndiana

RoadtripNation

So sad it had to end. Great life changing experience!! @roadtripnation has changed my life!! Miss you guys!! See ya when I get out to Cali!! #RTNIndiana

Thank you @roadtripnation for 14 of the most IMPACTFUL days of my life - so far // My outlook on my SELF and my FUTURE has been REVOLUTIONIZED // Chains of fear of the unknown and self-doubt have been BROKEN // As I take my first steps into my senior year at Purdue tomorrow - I will walk confidently with a renewed sense of BOLDNESS and HUMILITY - for that I am eternally grateful // #RTNIndiana

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THE ROADTRIPPERS

Shannon

Dengke

Jaedyn

Shannon

Age 21
From Beech Grove, IN

Currently studying plant science at Purdue University, Shannon’s love for the field is no joke: when she was in high school, she discovered a new species of microorganism, a bright pink phylloplane yeast that will be named Foliophilomyces newerthii in her honor! But even after attaining such a high level of success at a young age, she’s facing the same struggles every college junior faces: What should she specialize in? Should she continue her education beyond her bachelor’s degree? And if so, how will she pay for that? Driving these decisions is her desire to help people—and specifically, to help the farmers of Indiana. A lover of travel—she recently returned from a study-abroad program in Australia—she’s ready to use this new adventure to not only explore her home state, but to find out what its farmers need most.

Dengke

Age 19
From Portage, IN

After emigrating from China to industrial Northwestern Indiana at the age of seven, Dengke was interested in engineering from a young age. But his first dream was to follow in his older brother’s footsteps and join the military. The National Guard felt like a great fit for Dengke—who counts leadership and discipline among his key strengths—but a paperwork snafu ended his service early. It was a tough setback, but he quickly pivoted to plan B, and recently finished his first semester of a general engineering program at Purdue University. He knows he still wants to be a leader someday—someone who can inspire and motivate others to reach their true potential—but still so early on in his education, he first needs to see as many different engineering paths as possible to figure out where he can plug in his skills.

Jaedyn

Age 18
From Kokomo, IN

“If you don’t love life, you’re doing it wrong.” This is the mantra that Jaedyn tries his best to live by; it was coined by one of his best friends, who passed away suddenly last year. After losing his friend, the high school senior dealt with some tough roadblocks: he sunk into a depression, let his grades slip, and questioned his path to college. But he realized that the best way to honor his friend is by getting back to doing what he loves, and what he loves is helping animals. After he received a personal sympathy card from his veterinarian when his guinea pig passed away, Jaedyn knew he’d found his dream career; now entering his first year of community college, he hopes he can sit down with Indiana’s best vets to get the inspiration he needs for what he knows could be a challenging road to veterinary school, and beyond.